25 top health and wellness apps

Consumers turn to mobile devices to manage their health

As smartphones and other mobile devices are more widely used in the U.S., it's no surprise that consumers are using them to manage aspects of their health. They're using a variety of apps to manage their health, physical activities, food intake and their medical care. As a result, more healthcare organizations are using them to interact with consumers.

Editors at Health Data Management surveyed current apps, taking into account the extent to which they are used and how widely they've been distributed. They also sought a mix across different categories of apps. This list represents 25 of the hottest apps being used by consumers today.

3D Human Anatomy Atlas

Manufacturer: Visible Body

This app offers an interactive rendering of the human body as well as biology courses, all available on a smartphone.

AsthmaSense

Manufacturer: iSonea

Patients who seek improved living with asthma can use a set of tools to manage the disease by setting medication and testing times, recording symptoms and triggers, and measuring rates of wheezing.

Cancer.Net

Manufacturer: ASCO

This app offers accurate, oncologist-approved cancer information from Cancer.Net, with tools to help plan and manage care, from diagnosis through treatment and beyond. It is provided by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).

Castlight Health

Manufacturer: Castlight Health

The app is designed to be a health benefits platform that helps employees make better-informed healthcare decisions covering health status, selecting providers, cost management and other factors.

Diabetes Tracker

Manufacturer: MyNetDiary

Diabetes Tracker provides comprehensive diabetes tracking, enabling users to add blood glucose, insulin and medications tracking to MyNetDiary PRO, a broader application used by more than 2.8 million people. With an online account, data can be stored on a server in addition to an iPhone or iPad.

DrawMD

Manufacturer: Visible Health

DrawMD is a tool for communicating conditions, procedures, anatomy and other information to patients. It consists of several different apps, each focusing on a different medical specialty, including breast health, female pelvis surgery, general surgery and urology, among others. Users can choose from drawings that are built into the app, or use a photo of their own, or a black background to begin their own drawing.

Epic Haiku

Manufacturer: Epic Systems

Haiku provides authorized clinical users of Epic’s Electronic Health Record with secure access to clinic schedules, hospital patient lists, health summaries, test results and notes. Haiku also supports dictation and in-basket access. Haiku works on both iPhone and iPod touch.

Fitnet

Manufacturer: Fitnet Corp.

Fitnet allows anyone with a busy lifestyle to conduct a workout that will take just five minutes. Through the mobile device’s webcam, the app analyses a user in real time and provides feedback.

Full Code Pro (FCP 3.0)

Manufacturer: American Heart Association

This is a free, easy-to-use, mobile application that enables healthcare providers to quickly document critical interventions during cardiac arrest resuscitation events. This app enables providers to focus on the patient without sacrificing proper documentation. It can also simplify data entry and helps providers increase the availability and accuracy of documentation. FCP 3.0 can be used by paramedics, EMT-Bs, emergency room nurses, emergency room physicians and other in- and out-of-hospital healthcare providers.

Glucose Buddy

Manufacturer: SkyHealth

Glucose Buddy stores data for diabetics. Users can manually enter glucose numbers, carbohydrate consumption, insulin dosages and activities, and then can view data on a free online account.

Guideline Central

Manufacturer: Guideline Central

This app provides guideline summaries from a variety of sources, including MEDLINE/PubMed, drug information, clinical trials, electronic prevention services selector (ePSS), calculators and more. Features include official recommendations from respected medical associations; key points, treatment, management, prevention and easy navigation to critical information.

HealthTap

Manufacturer: HealthTap

This app provides access to a doctor 24/7 and enables the sharing of photos and test results. The user also can communicate with medical professionals.

Hello Heart

Manufacturer: Hello Doctor

The tracking-style app enables users to measure and record their blood pressure. With the data, Hello Heart provides real-time explanations of what blood pressure readings mean, and tells users how they are doing overall.

Humana Pharmacy

Manufacturer: Humana

The carrier’s app enables users to refill prescriptions directly from their phones. Earlier this year, the company added an update that includes a version for Apple’s smart watch.

Isabel

Manufacturer: Isabel Healthcare

Isabel was developed for clinicians to have an easier way to search for and assess diagnoses. It enables searches by multiple signs and symptoms. The app was created by a company that was co-founded by a family after their 3-year-old daughter nearly died from a misdiagnosis.

Johns Hopkins POC-IT Guides (Antibiotic, Diabetes, HIV and Psychiatry)

Manufacturer: Johns Hopkins

The Johns Hopkins POC-IT Antibiotic, Diabetes, HIV, and Psychiatry Guides are regularly updated, evidence-based decision resources to help clinicians answer critical questions at the point of care. The package of four apps can be purchased.

Mayo Clinic

Manufacturer: Mayo Clinic

Consumers can access radiology images, lab reports, care team notes and other health information via a fingerprint. They also can request appointments and add them to their calendar and get directions, among other features.

Medscape, Medscape MedPulse, Medscape CME Education

Manufacturer: Medscape

This trio of apps from Medscape is useful both as reference tools and source of medical news. The Medscape app allows users to get answers for point-of-care decision making. The MedPulse news app provides the latest information on medicine and within specialties. The CME app enables professionals to continue their educational development.

Micromedex Free Drug Reference/Micromedex Drug Reference Essentials

Manufacturer: Micromedex

Micromedex is a simple, accurate and easy-to-use drug reference tool. Users can search by drug name or class and receive information on adverse effects, interactions, contraindications, administration and dosing.

Runkeeper

Manufacturer: FitnessKeeper

This app enables runners, cyclists and hikers to track their outdoor fitness activity. With more than 45 million users, the app tracks users’ progress, provides audio cues and workout comparisons, among other features.

Sleepio

Manufacturer: Big Health

The app targets employees’ sleeping issues by helping them learn cognitive behavioral techniques that aim to improve their sleep schedules. It also includes a variety of other tools, including a daily schedule, relaxation music, email reminders and an in-depth sleep test.

SwiftPayMD

Manufacturer: SwiftPayMD

This mobile charge capture app for clinicians can reduce lost charges, typing data into a system and keying data on receivable accounts days.

Virtual Library of NCCN Guidelines

Manufacturer: National Comprehensive Cancer Network

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network app provides a list of all guidelines available for direct download. The app contains the guidelines in an alphabetical list, and the guideline need only be chosen and synched with the app in order to have them appear on the homepage. Users must have an account with NCCN to view and download the content.

Weight Loss Coach

Manufacturer: Fooducate

This app is a one-stop dietary source that offers users a community of others trying to change eating habits and become smarter food consumers. It rates the quality of food, health values of products, and provides discussions, recipes and dietary tips.

Zipongo

Manufacturer: Zipongo

This app helps employees navigate a company’s cafeteria menu so they can best make nutritional choices for their personal preferences and health goals. It also provides personalized recipes, grocery discounts and nutrition guidance.